Shari‘ah Ruling on Gifting Children According to Inheritance Shares
✒ Fatwa by the Saudi Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings
When a person wishes to gift wealth or property to their children during their lifetime, it is obligatory to maintain justice and fairness among them. One of the valid approaches to achieving this justice is:
✔ To give male children double the share of female children, just as Allah has ordained in inheritance:
"لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ"
“To the male, a portion equal to that of two females.”
✔ This method reflects the Qur'anic principle of division and is one of the two acceptable ways of distributing gifts among children during one’s lifetime.
✔ According to ʿAṭāʾ رحمه الله, the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to make such distributions in accordance with the Book of Allah.
Thus, this approach is endorsed and validated by both textual evidence and the practice of the righteous predecessors.
✒ Fatwa by the Saudi Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings
◈ Gifting Children During Lifetime Based on Inheritance Proportions
When a person wishes to gift wealth or property to their children during their lifetime, it is obligatory to maintain justice and fairness among them. One of the valid approaches to achieving this justice is:
✔ To give male children double the share of female children, just as Allah has ordained in inheritance:
"لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ"
“To the male, a portion equal to that of two females.”
◈ Supporting Evidence and Scholarly View
✔ This method reflects the Qur'anic principle of division and is one of the two acceptable ways of distributing gifts among children during one’s lifetime.
✔ According to ʿAṭāʾ رحمه الله, the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to make such distributions in accordance with the Book of Allah.
Thus, this approach is endorsed and validated by both textual evidence and the practice of the righteous predecessors.